Friday, July 27, 2007

Hardy-Har-Har


Are you serious? No - I mean, do you take yourself, your work, and your life in general too seriously? In his book A Whole New Mind, author Daniel Pink points out that the most effective leaders are not the ones who always have their game face on, but ones who are funny. Research by Daniel Goleman and the Hay Group has shown that this is a fact, and that those considered funny have "their charges laughing three times more often than their managerial counterparts."

Seems kinda trivial,
doesn't it? But, think about it. If you work in an environment where people are laughing all the time (hopefully you are one of them), you know how true this finding really is. Personally, I am fortunate to work under the direction of a guy named Mike Linch, who really encourages our staff to laugh and have a good time. In fact, Mike is the brunt of the joke many times, but has the wisdom (and patience) to understand that laughter is truly an essential component to an effective team.

Moreover, God has a sense of humor. Remember, we're made in His image, s
o he must. Look at the platypus. And, for a Biblical example, take a stroll back to the Book of Genesis. God delivered on the promise that Abraham and Sarah, at the ages of 100 and 90, respectively, would have a baby. He must have thought that was funny, because he told Abraham to name the child Isaac, which means "he laughs."

So, if you want to impact the world around you, be funny. Laugh it up. Create a lighter environment in which your colleagues can really thrive. People will relax, let their guard down, and they'll be more willing to go the extra mile for you.

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